HAMLET Act Five ACT FIVE SCENE I KEY

HAMLET Act Five

ACT FIVE SCENE I: KEY POINTS Two gravediggers banter while they work. The Graveyard scene, as its known, is rich in black humour. Their mock legal argument provides entertaining comic moments and some light relief. Hamlet and Horatio arrive and Hamlet meditates on death, decay and the transitory nature of life. Hamlet concludes that death is the great leveller – regardless of social class it cannot be avoided. They watch Ophelia’s funeral approach the graveyard. The priest refuses to give Ophelia full funeral rites because she may have committed suicide. Laertes poetically mourns his sister and even proclaims that he wants to be buried alive with her. His excessive grief is in sharp contrast with Hamlet’s restrained demeanour. Hamlet mocks Laertes’ display and emerges from his hiding place which leads to a fight between the two men. This tussle, though stopped, intensifies the tension between the two men.

Hamlet A Negative State of Mind: The prince’s morbid obsession with death and decay comes to the fore in this scene. He imagines the bodies of great men like Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar turning to dust and being put to practical uses like the stopper of a beer barrel. This scene represents Hamlet’s most poignant meditation on the transience of life, a theme which has preoccupied him throughout the play. He is both fascinated and horrified that the skulls thrown around the graveyard once belonged to living people – particularly the skull of Yorick who was so full of joy and humour and now is a jawless skull. It doesn’t matter what our achievements in life are, one day we will all die and rot. Love for Ophelia? : In this scene Hamlet declares the depth of the feelings he had for Ophelia: “I loved Ophelia: forty thousand brothers / Could not with all their quantity of love. Make up my sum”. He says he would do anything, even eat a crocodile, to prove how much he loved her. But do we believe this declaration of love? It may seem insincere given how baited and tortured Ophelia earlier in the play. Yet we should also remember the love letters and tokens he gave her in the past, before the play began.

Gertru de Sadness Over Ophelia’s Death: Gertrude seems genuinely saddened by the death of Ophelia, the woman she once hoped would be her daughter-in-law: “I hoped thou shouldst have been my Hamlet’s wife”. She spreads flowers on the graveside. However, it is worth noting she had little time for her when Ophelia was alive and struggling. Maternal Feelings for Hamlet? : There is also a sense in which Gertrude appears protective of Hamlet in this scene. When the prince reveals himself, he suggests that he, not Claudius, is the true ruler of Denmark and makes barely veiled threats against the king. Gertrude declares that Hamlet is merely ranting: “This is mere madness”. Is she trying to protect her son by convincing Claudius he doesn’t know what he’s doing? Through the play Gertrude has been intensely loyal to Claudius. Yet here, perhaps, we see her feelings towards her son come to the fore.

Vengeful: Laertes’ rage at Hamlet is still very intense. He curses the man he holds responsible for his sister’s death: “Oh treble woe / Fall ten times treble on that cursed head”. His reaction to the sight of Hamlet is one of total hatred: “The devil take thy soul!” Laertes’ almost uncontrollable anger at the prince makes it very easy for Claudius to manipulate him. A Brother In Mourning: Laertes’ love for his sister and his intense grief over her death are highly evident in this scene. He expresses sorrow over her passing in poetic and moving terms. He repeatedly asks the priest to perform more funeral rites in order that her soul might have a better chance of reaching heaven. He asks the gravediggers to halt their work so he can say a final goodbye to Ophelia. Finally he jumps in the grave and demands to be buried alive with her. Hamlet seems to accuse Laertes of merely exaggerating his grief. Yet we have not reason to doubt the sincerity of his emotions. The priest’s uncharitable response to his request for prayers fuels his grief and anger. LAERTES

CLAUDIUS Manipulative: Claudius once again comes across as a master manipulator. When Hamlet declares to Laertes that he loved his sister, Claudius says the prince is only speaking out of madness: “Oh he is mad, Laertes”. He wants Laertes to bide his time before taking revenge. After Hamlet departs, he quickly moves to calm Laertes: “Strengthen your patience”. He doesn’t want Laertes to do anything rash and spoil the plot they have hatched.

ACT 5 SCENE I SCENE KEY QUOTES First Gravedigger: “Is she to be buried in Christian burial that wilfully seeks her own salvation? ” Hamlet: “Imperious Caesar, dead and turned to clay, Might stop a hole to keep the wind away. ” Gertrude: I hoped thou shouldst have been my Hamlet’s wife” Hamlet: “This is I, Hamlet the Dane”

ACT FIVE SCENE II: KEY POINTS Hamlet tells Horatio what happened aboard the ship bound for England explains Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s fate. Hamlet has learned to act decisively and no longer seems paralysed by his conscience. He is quick to send R&G to their deaths and no longer examines his conscience over revenge on Claudius. He is ready to do what needs to be done. A courtier called Osric arrives and invites Hamlet to participate in the fencing match with Laertes. Despite his sense of foreboding, Hamlet agrees. Hamlet’s new belief in the power of fate means he accepts his potential death is beyond his control. Before the match, Hamlet apologises to Laertes for the scene at the funeral. His demeanour has changed and he seems nobler and more generous than before.

ACT FIVE SCENE II: KEY POINTS Gertrude accidentally drinks the poisoned chalice that Claudius left out for Hamlet and in a scuffle both Laertes and Hamlet are stabbed by the poisoned foil. Although he is partly responsible for Hamlet’s death, Laertes redeems himself somewhat before his death. He confesses the plot he was involved in and expresses guilt for his involvement. Hamlet kills Claudius, who remains a self-serving villain to the end. Horatio tries to kill himself but the dying Hamlet asks him to live on and preserve his memory. Horatio is a deeply loyal character whose dramatic function is to tell Hamlet’s story to the world. Fortinbras arrives and declares himself the new ruler of Denmark. His description of Hamlet underlines Hamlet’s finer qualities.

H A M L E T Ruthless Streak: The prince’s ruthless streak is very clear in his decision to send R&G to their deaths. He has fulfilled the promise he made to himself in Act 4 to become ruthless in his actions. Hamlet says he acted on instinct rather than reason: “Our indiscretion sometimes serves us well”. Yet we might ask, as Horatio seems to, if Hamlet’s old friends deserved this fate? There is no proof that they knew they were bringing Hamlet to his death. Hamlet could have instructed that they be imprisoned, however, he shows no remorse. In his eyes, his two friends betrayed him through their unquestioning loyalty to Claudius and so deserved to die: “Why, man, they did make love to this employment; / They are not near my conscience. ” This new found ruthlessness is also clear when he tells Horatio he intends to kill the king. He has decided it would be wrong to let an evil man like Claudius occupy the throne. This ruthless streak is also evident when Hamlet finally carries out the long-awaited revenge both stabbing Claudius with the poisoned blade and pouring the poisoned wine down his throat.

Concern For His Reputation: As he lies dying, Hamlet expresses great concern that he should have a reputation after his death. He begs Horatio to live on to tell the world that he was justified in his actions: “report me and my cause aright / To the unsatisfied”. He also asks Horatio to tell Fortinbras the events that have taken place. Hamlet seems very concerned with preserving his reputation, however, it is difficult to fully exonerate Hamlet when recalling his murder of Polonius and his cruel baiting of Ophelia. Hamlet

HORATIO • • • Hamlet’s Loyal Friend As ever, Horatio continues to be Hamlet’s loyal and protective friend: He warns the prince that Claudius will soon find out what he has done to R&G. He is wary of anyone approaching Hamlet – he is immediately watchful when Osric arrives. He plays along with Hamlet’s mockery of Osric. He is concerned that Laertes will beat him in the duel: “You will lose, my lord” When Hamlet expresses his feeling of foreboding Horatio offers to have the match postponed. Finally, when he sees hamlet has been injured he rushes to his side.

HORATIO Hamlet’s Loyal Friend Horatio cannot bear the prospect of life without Hamlet and decides to join his friend in death: “I am more an antique Roman than a Dane”. However, he is talked out of it by Hamlet. Horatio memorably expresses his sorrow at Hamlet’s passing: “Now cracks a noble heart. Good night sweet prince, / And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest”. Horatio is determined to protect Hamlet’s memory and give a truthful account of the bloody events at Elsinore. Even though Hamlet is dead, Horatio continues to serve him as a loyal friend.

LAERTES Vengeful: Throughout the precious scenes Laertes has come across as an angry young man desperate to gain vengeance for the death of his father. In this scene too, he seems ruthlessly determined to gain his revenge. He plays a long with Claudius’ deadly scheme throughout the final scene. He goes along with the mock reconciliation of himself and Hamlet, accepting Hamlet’s apology. He then chooses the poisoned foil and ever checking with Claudius, stabs the prince.

An Unexpected Change of Heart: Laertes suffers a crisis of conscience before stabbing Hamlet: “And yet it is almost against my conscience”. The ruthless avenger seems reluctant to take the revenge he craved. Although he does go through with his plan, almost immediately Laertes seems to regret killing Hamlet. He views his own death from the poisoned foil as the just reward for his own “treachery”. As he lies dying he attempts to make amends by confessing to the plot he was involved in. He tells Hamlet that Gertrude has been poisoned and that Hamlet himself only has minutes to live: “No medicine in the world can do thee good”. Crucially, he identifies Claudius as the architect of the plot: “the king, the king’s to blame”. As Laertes lies dying, he seeks reconciliation with Hamlet: “Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet”. He says Hamlet is free of any guilt over his and Polonius’ deaths. He also requests no blame should fall on him for Hamlet’s death. LAERTES

The Ambitious Prince: FORTINBRAS Fortinbras was describes as a war-like young man in Act 1 Scene 1. His brief appearance here confirms that impression. The greatest honour he can think of giving Hamlet is a soldier’s funeral: “Bear Hamlet like a soldier to the stage”. Throughout the play Fortinbras has come across as an aggressive and decisive person. He rustled up his own army to invade Denmark, without the permission of his uncle, the king. He then took an invasion force to Poland, risking thousands of lives over a worthless piece of ground. Now he acts aggressively once more, asserting his family’s right to the Danish throne: “I have some rights of memory in this kingdom”. He takes charge of the situation, issuing orders to the Danish courtiers. He claims it is with sorrow that he claims the throne but it is easy to question his sincerity.

A Shrewd Politician: Claudius plans for Hamlet to die but doesn’t want anyone at court to suspect his involvement. He therefore plays the role of forgiving stepfather, backing Hamlet in the fencing match and announcing he will celebrate his scores. Claudius goes ahead with the plan to offer Hamlet the poisoned wine. This was meant as a failsafe in case Laertes were to fail and we must question the wisdom of his plan. He risks linking himself with the death and something could easily go wrong, as it does when Gertrude drinks from the cup. CLAUDIUS

Manipulative and Devious: This scene shows Claudius at his most manipulative. He pretends to be a loving stepfather and plays the role of peacemaker between Hamlet and Laertes. Both deceptions are intended to make sure the prince doesn’t suspect the plot against him. CLAUDIUS However, Claudius shows himself at his most devious in his treatment of Gertrude, the woman he is supposed to love. When Gertrude drinks from the poisoned cup, Claudius’ protest is only half-hearted as it doesn’t want to incriminate himself. He lets her drink the poison to save his own skin. When she collapses from the poison Claudius continues to cover up his crime by claiming she is faint at seeing blood. Finally, when revealed as the chief architect of the plot against Hamlet, Claudius expresses no remorse but instead pleads desperately for protection: “O, yet defend me, friends, I am but hurt”. There is poetic justice in the fact that he dies from drinking of his own poisoned cup.

ACT 5 SCENE II: KEY QUOTES Hamlet: “There is a divinity that shapes our ends, Rough-hew them how we will. ” Hamlet: “Why, man, they did make love to this employment; They are not near my conscience. ” Hamlet: “Does it not, think thee, stand me now upon? He that hath killed my king and whored my mother … Is’t not perfect conscience To quit him with this arm? ” Laertes: “No medicine in the world can do thee good. ”

ACT 5 SCENE II: KEY QUOTES Laertes: “The King, the King’s to blame. ” Claudius: “O, yet defend me, friends, I am but hurt” Laertes: “He is justly served, It is a poison tempered by himself. ” Hamlet: “Horatio, I am dead. Thou livest: report me and my cause aright To the unsatisfied. ”

ACT 5 SCENE II: KEY QUOTES Horatio: “I am more an antique Roman than a Dane” Horatio: “Now cracks a noble heart. Good night sweet Prince, And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest!” Fortinbras: “Bear Hamlet like a soldier to the stage, For he was likely, had he been put on, To have proved most royal. ”

ASSIGNMENT ‘Hamlet undergoes a dramatic transformation during the course of the play’ Write your response to this statement supporting your answer with suitable reference to the play.